How much, How often?

[MummyBuzz]

Looking for some advice on feeds for my 11week old DD. Up until this week she was having 5 ounce feeds at 3hour intervals throughout the day with a 6ounce feed at bedtime (which means she goes 12 hours at night now without needing to be fed). Over the last few days though, she seemed to be getting hungrier and not lasting three hours between some of her feeds, so we began feeding her 6 ounce feeds 3hours appart (Which, according to the formula box she should have been having 3 weeks ago - we didn't feel she was ready then!). Yesterday was the first full day we had tried this and although she finished each of her bottles she didn't seem particularly hungry for them and had quite a large vomit after her 4.30pm feed.

(Sorry, this is going on a bit!) - My DH is a Senior Paediatric Nurse and he suggested last night that we give DD 7ounce feeds 4hours appart which may mean she's more ready for them rather than trying to 'cram in' 5 feeds a day and she'd be getting the same amount of milk. Although I trust him completely based on his training and experience, 7ounces just seems like such a large amount of milk for her little tummy! He's at work today so I've given her a 6ounce feed for breakfast but am at a loss as to what to do next.

Trust my instinct or my qualified husband?! What would you do? Any experience or words of wisdom gratefully received!!

If she's not lasting three hours, why would she last four?

Surely if she was getting 7ounces every four hours she would be able to last longer between feeds as she'd be more full?

I'd follow her cues - if you don't feel she's ready yet then you're probably picking up on those.

I'm always starving shortly after a big meal. Don't you find that, after a massive Christmas dinner you're still ready for pork pie and cold cuts a couple of hours later?
Your stomach stretches, your blood sugar drops further, so you need to eat more.

She could well be thirsty as well, it's been quite warm. I can't go four hours without something to drink.

Could you try less but more often?

Echo the less ozs more often approach. Have you thought of giving her 3 or 4oz feeds and watching her to cue for her next feed? Cues might include looking and licking, wriggling, sucking fingers/hands, making a 'milky noise', a very late sign of hunger is crying.

DD3 had bottles when I was in hospital at 6m & 9m and she didn't take any more than 120mls (4.25oz) at each feed but more usually around 100mls (3.4oz) and at 6m she wasn't on solids (had been taken off them by paed. due to her ill health).

This might help with reading your daughter's cues whilst bottlefeeding so she doesn't end up taking more than she wants to due to the action of sucking at a bottle. Not saying you are force feeding her by any means but she might just take more milk than perhaps she wants because of how a bottle works, which could cause you to thin she is hungrier and feed her more.

Thanks for the responses. Tried today giving her an extra ounce at breakfast and lunch time and the usual amount mid morning and mid afternoon and she seemed much happier. We're at clinic on Thursday so will see what her weight is doing and go from there!